What boats have you owned...Aaron may appreciate this...long

MadBen · Post by **MadBen** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:42 pm

I'm going to share my boating history because I've enjoyed the nostalgia of reading about Aarons history. Hopefully you will all share your boating history on this forum.

I grew up on Owens boats because my mother was an Owens...I was born in January 1964 and was on the boat in May of that year...I was just 4 months old. My first "real" boat was given to me for Christmas of 1978 at the age of 14...it was a

-1974 25 foot Broadwater cabin cruiser. I had wanted to have a "modern boat" since I had grown up on Owens boats. Because of the plywood debacle, she sank on me off of Sheepshead bar in the Potomac, for those of you who know the area, in the same year I got her.
-1976 Broadwater Lil Mariner...21 foot cabin cruiser...all F/G with a 165 Waukesha and V/Drive. Great concept but wouldn't plane with 1.5 people aboard and a full tank of gas.
-!977 Broadwater 27 cabin cruiser. The very last one to come off the line. All F/G and a 302 FWC Waukesha. A great boat that I kept until 1994 just to say Broadwaters weren't all bad.

Then at the age of 21, I bought my first "first real boat"
-1965 Trojan 36 F/B Sedan. This boat had been lovingly shed kept by a meticulous owner her entire life. I loved this boat but she didn't love me...first mistake was that I put her into an open slip and she drank up all of the water she had been deprived of all of those years under cover...second mistake was I was just a kid and didn't know how to maintain her properly.
Then I got married in 1989...We wanted a new boat with out any troubles...???

-1989 Bayliner Contessa F/B...well the boat was great but the OMC King Cobra kept her in the shop constantly...so much for a "new" trouble free boat.
Sold her and bought a "Real Yacht"
-1976 Trojan Tri-Fly...Thought I had died and gone to heaven...that boat was sweet. Had the 280 Chryslers with the V drives...Handled like a dream...only problem was, she developed what I call the Trojan "Stink"
Front windows leaked and had been leaking prior to me owning but in the humid summer with the air on, the boat inside would smell awful.
OK, Time for a new boat again.
-1994 Bayliner 28 Sunbridge...7.4 Mercruiser...great boat!!! So great I traded her on a
-2000 28 Bayliner Classic (the hardtop version) 7.4 FI Bravo three. LOVED that boat...circumnavigated the DelMarVa 3 times in her...Then...I got divorced...had to sell her or cut her in two...

Then thought I might like to live aboard so...
-1990 Holiday Mansion 290...she is our beach cottage now as I digress into my next boat...late model 36 Trojan tri. Hopefully you will read this and come up with your boats of the past. Thanks
Mike

rbcool · Post by **rbcool** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:02 pm

I started out in the '80s with various Speed/ski boats that I would buy cheap, fix up, use and abuse, then sell for a healthy profit.
Then bought a 1980 22' Kayot Deck boat that I tricked out like a party barge and dropped a nice OMC 5.7 in. Had a blast on Rayustown Lake in PA where we had a vacation home
Then I found this little rocket.... 1976 Thompson Sidewinder 18SS Reworked the 302 ford to give her 80 MPH with the TRS outdrive. I REALLY miss that boat, but someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse at the time I was looking at purchasing the Baddest ATV man has ever created (I was into bear hunting in PA)
Here's a Video of her

Early 2000s bought a 1990 Searay Sundancer 330 (get a life Searay Haters) Loved that boat as well, and the 44MPH was a bonus!! Even caught many monster Rockfish on her. But got that speed thing outta my system and really wanted more comfortable living arrangements.
In the spring of '10 we started our search. Never knowing about Trojan we were looking at Carver 36 Mariners on the web. Drove to NJ and looked at a POS (broker lied). Then drove all the way to FL with 30k cash to buy one I was SURE the broker wasn't lying about and I was planning on taking her up the Atlantic to Crisfield. The dam boat wouldn't even make it out of the marina. The pics on the web were 10 yrs old. I was PI$$ED!!!
While driving back from FL, the wife jumps on the web (mobile broadband) and starts a furious search to calm me down. She comes across this Tri Cabin and as I'm looking at the pics while trying to drive I knew she was the one. It was Sunday morning but I decided to call the number.... the broker answerd and I told him I wanted to look at her Mon morning 11am. He met me there, I sea trialed her and bought her the next day. No...I didn't feel the need for a survey since I'm pretty good with the mechanics of a boat. Cruised her down the Cheseapeake Wed. afternoon then had a survey done which revealed she was worth twice what I paid.
This will be our last boat unless we hit the lottery, in that case we'll give her to our sons.

Ron

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:09 pm

I will try to remember all and the right order

1) 12 ft sears game fisher 3.5hp Goodyear

2) a wood skiff that never saw the water

3) 1/3owner of a 1965 30ft Owens twin 283( big mistake boat partners)

4) 1967 30ft Owens fly bridge twin 350

5) 1974 17ft sport craft 85 hp merc. lots of fun with this one

6) 1955 14 foot wage-maker 35 hp rude I restored this .Varnished Mahogany hull sweet looking boat That I wish I never sold

owneed 4 5 6 at the sametime .

7) 1937 40 liberty Launch 671 gray marine diesel . I did not own this but had full use for over 15 years , great boat and a lot of fun . did a lot of towing with this boat .

1978 20ft Slickcraft 302 V8 later replaced with a 351 . I got this one by salvage . towed it up side down off the beach to the marina where we pulled it up with a crane . this boat was fast with the 351.

9) 1973 21 Merrimac cudy in line Chevy 250 replaced by a 292 in line Chevy six .

10) 1975 25 ft sports craft 302 V8 bought this the day we got back from over nighter on the Merrimac . the stand up head and cabin did it has we had become hooked on cruising after that weekend. ( our first over nighter ).
This also is the first boat the granddaughter went out on at 3 months . I redid a seat to hold her car seat . Had a hard top to keep the sun off the granddaughter . boat served me well .sold this boat 3 times got it back when the buyer got behind on slip rent , then sold it again when the 2nd buyer sadly passed away ( had be come good Friends with him.

11 ) 1977 F30 Trojan Clean machine I traded it for the sports craft ( 1st buyer ) even trade plus paid his over due slip rent ( a trend) It need a lot of work 1 new engine but out of the boat. ( twin 351 ) built a hard top and got my first radar sometimes I wish I still had this boat it was perfect boat but it was gas . I was looking at doing a re-power with a set of Nani diesels . had a deal on the engines working on deal for the right gears . and then ..... something cought my eye .

12) My present Boat 1977/78 F36 Trojan convertible with a custom hard top and full enclosed brige , and a sweet set of Cummins Diesels at a gas boat price .
done deal ( and the first boat payment in my life ) after selling the F30 my cost was not that much more then the diesel re-power for the F30 would have cost.

and there is more a 6 person life raft ( I hope is never used ) on the bow . bought after a close call . wont count it as a boat more of a over grown life jackit

13 ) 2007 9ft Damar Rib 8hp or 9.9/15 hp Nissan First and Only new boat I ever bought . ( engines used )

14) 2007 10.5 walker-bay Rib uses what engine is not on the other rib . why 2 ribs / this was free so why not .

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:13 pm

i'm in....
the legacy of the bocknek boating experience.

families first boat from 1966 until 1969---
19' sears run-a-bout, evenrude outboard motor, hull was blue and white with white seats. towed behind our pontiac bonneville station wagon.
vessel name....BUBALA

march 1969 ordered a 1969 broadwater 31' bay breeze with optional fly bridge. single chrysler 225, red water line and black bootstripe. interior was light blue vinyl. galley w/ ice box to port, head starboard, fwd of galley was a sofa that converted to upper/lower bunks. to starboard of that, a dinette with compass rose in the formica. forward of that the standard v-berth.
in june 1969, while we were still getting her commissioned at the broadwater plant in mayo, md. (and we were personal friends with dave richie the president of broadwater and his side kick douggie) we were caught out in a gale off of thomas point light. dad stuck on fly bridge, mom kept us calm by sitting us on the cabin sole, life jackets on while she rode it out on the back deck holding onto the fly bridge ladder keeping tabs on dad. bimini top few off, frame and all, mom rescued it as it circled the boat. the only time dad ever issued a mayday and mom fired off flares. coast guard informed us to ride it out. the longest 15 minutes of our lives. made it back to the broadwater plant and discovered not a drop of water in her bilge. the only reason dad was caught on the bride was broadwater had a goofy set up where you had to first disable the upper helm then enable the lower helm by switching a few levers.
vessel name... BUBALA 2

in january 1972, after reading a boating article in december 1971, we paid a visit to the washington, dc indoor boatshow at the dc armory where the queen of the show was the 'new all fiberglass' trojan f-36 tri cabin. from a family perspective, it was love at first sight. taylor hatteras of edgewater, md was the dealer showing off the vessel, and mom and dad spent almost 5 hours going over the boating article and endless amounts of specs etc.... we went back the next morning as guests of taylor hatteras before the show opened to the public for an 'exclusive' tour of the boat and her systems. in february of 1972, a sales contract was signed after much negotiation on a final delivery price and options. she was powered by twin chrysler 280's w/ walter v-drives, kohler 7.kw genset, and cruisair reverse cycle a/c system. in march/april of 1972 while visiting family in toronto for passover we ventured to the shepherd plant in niagra on the lake ontario. we were met by the plant manager, escorted in and watched the hull of our boat being pulled out of the mold. she was delivered at the end of may 1972 in edgewater. we kept her there until july of 1972 where we were commissioning her. brought her to her home port of capitol yacht club in washington, dc in july/aug 1972. we took a month to cruise the bay and just enjoy our new boat.
vessel name... BUBALA 3. she remained in the family until dad sold her in 2008. the saddest day of my life. it felt like loosing a member of the family. i grew up on her and only hope her new owners treasure her as much as i did.

sept 2008.... got the bug to rekindle my boating experience. purchased a 1976 trojan f-32 powered by twin mercruiser 233's, onan genset and reverse cycle a/c.
vessel renamed to... EVENT HORIZON kept her until aug. 2010.

sept 2010... found a very nice 1982 trojan f-36 tri cabin. i've come full circle i suppose. papers signed in october of 2010 and that brings me to present day. she has two pcm 250's on a 351 block (repowered in 1996, onan genset, heat and ac.
vessel name... ENTERPRISE
on a side note, the mezuzzah that hung next to the cabin door on BUBALA 3 is in the exact same location onboard ENTERPRISE.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:16 pm

I had seen RB tri cabin the year before he bought her ( at the 2009 rendezvous in St Michaels ), That boat was Like new > NO that boat was better then new . I not a aft cabin type But That boat is SWEET RB was very luck to get that one as it had to be the best on the market . I know he is proud of her and should be.

MadBen · Post by **MadBen** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:25 pm

rbcool wrote:I started out in the '80s with various Speed/ski boats that I would buy cheap, fix up, use and abuse, then sell for a healthy profit.
Then bought a 1980 22' Kayot Deck boat that I tricked out like a party barge and dropped a nice OMC 5.7 in. Had a blast on Rayustown Lake in PA where we had a vacation home
Then I found this little rocket.... 1976 Thompson Sidewinder 18SS Reworked the 302 ford to give her 80 MPH with the TRS outdrive. I REALLY miss that boat, but someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse at the time I was looking at purchasing the Baddest ATV man has ever created (I was into bear hunting in PA)
Here's a Video of her

Early 2000s bought a 1990 Searay Sundancer 330 (get a life Searay Haters) Loved that boat as well, and the 44MPH was a bonus!! Even caught many monster Rockfish on her. But got that speed thing outta my system and really wanted more comfortable living arrangements.
In the spring of '10 we started our search. Never knowing about Trojan we were looking at Carver 36 Mariners on the web. Drove to NJ and looked at a POS (broker lied). Then drove all the way to FL with 30k cash to buy one I was SURE the broker wasn't lying about and I was planning on taking her up the Atlantic to Crisfield. The dam boat wouldn't even make it out of the marina. The pics on the web were 10 yrs old. I was PI$$ED!!!
While driving back from FL, the wife jumps on the web (mobile broadband) and starts a furious search to calm me down. She comes across this Tri Cabin and as I'm looking at the pics while trying to drive I knew she was the one. It was Sunday morning but I decided to call the number.... the broker answerd and I told him I wanted to look at her Mon morning 11am. He met me there, I sea trialed her and bought her the next day. No...I didn't feel the need for a survey since I'm pretty good with the mechanics of a boat. Cruised her down the Cheseapeake Wed. afternoon then had a survey done which revealed she was worth twice what I paid.
This will be our last boat unless we hit the lottery, in that case we'll give her to our sons.

Ron

Ron, your so cool...LOL
I am about the most anal person about buying just about anything else but with boats, my emotions get the best of me. I too have driven to NJ to look at the "perfect boat" only to find that the a**hole broker lied to me. I am a real estate broker and should know better but I think every one is as upfront as I am...LOL I'm 48 years old now with 28 years in this business and I think I know better now...NOT.LOL
Love the story about how you got your "perfect 36" And she is a beaut! Funny, when I bought my tri fly, surveyor told me the problems but I just had a couple of big settlements and cash in hand...I totally disregarded his notes because I was smitten. Foolish I know NOW...But...

MadBen · Post by **MadBen** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:35 pm

Hey Aaron, I know Dave Ritchie too. he started building homes...Homes America. Don't know if he is still living but I had lunch with him about 10 years ago and he told me the whole Broadwater story. He was a good guy who bought a load of bad plywood. Took the whole company down with lawsuits. I was proud to have owned his boats...I'm still aquaintances with his daughter Cheryl who is a ReMax agent here in Calvert Co. Those Broadwaters were the Bayliners of the "70s. got a lot of people on the water who may have never been able to afford it.

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:36 pm

Great topic. I hope I can remember them all.

-1978 28' Chris Craft Catalina
-1979 31' Chris Craft Catalina F/B
-1977 F-32 Trojan
-1970 Sea Ray 180
-1977 Sea Ray 240 Weekender
-1983 Sea Ray 190 Cuddy (work boat, its still here at the house, still use it)
-1987 Sea Ray 210 Monaco
-1998 21' Maxim
-2004 Sea Swirl 2601WA
-1983 Achilles 8 footer(also still here and still in use w/ 1983 Yamaha 5 it was bought with)
-Various dinks, rowboats, canoes, etc. that have come and gone in the last 30 yrs. Too many to list and most importantly, remember.

Next comes 1978 Trojan F-32 for 2012. The only boat in the list good enough to return to. I keep the '83 Sea Ray to beat on and do work with. It amazes me when it fires up every spring. 140 Merc is one tough engine, its on its third outdrive.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:45 pm

i too was looking at the one ron bought because of what i knew when i saw her at the rendezvous. i'm glad shes in a good home. as for my tri cabin search, just ask prowlerfish what i went through looking for 'the one'. when i was looking on yachtworld the summer of 2010 it came down to two, both represented by brokers on kent island..... a 'blue' one, and a 'red' one. paul kept saying, ''the red one, the red one''. i went and looked at the 'blue' one... blue canvas and waterline 1985. what a pos!! the broker was so involved with texting he could hardly answer a question. totally bummed, i drove to clarks landing brokers where the 'red' one was represented. i was informed that it was in middle river and if i knew 'the location'. yeah i said, where? she said, 'longbeach marina'. i almost dropped my teeth, as longbeach marina is roughly a mile down river from me. so, on my way home i stopped by and i got with in a few feet of this one, a well kept 1982 tri cabin and i had that 'gut feeling' that this was possibly the one. i called the broker and asked if i could board. she gave the okay, and with in 10 minutes, i just knew... yeah.... this is it. i contacted phil and said, ''get your ass down here now. i think i've found a tri cabin''. he arrived in 20 minutes and once he sat on the sofa and relaxed, i had him..... okay, that's it... i called and had the agent draw up papers...
always trust your gut i guess.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:49 pm

MadBen wrote:Hey Aaron, I know Dave Ritchie too. he started building homes...Homes America. Don't know if he is still living but I had lunch with him about 10 years ago and he told me the whole Broadwater story. He was a good guy who bought a load of bad plywood. Took the whole company down with lawsuits. I was proud to have owned his boats...I'm still aquaintances with his daughter Cheryl who is a ReMax agent here in Calvert Co. Those Broadwaters were the Bayliners of the "70s. got a lot of people on the water who may have never been able to afford it.

i fell in love w/ the lil' mariner when i saw her at the boat show one year.... i even have an ad from ebay!! you are right, they were good boats and our 1969 served us well. mom could make anything on that little princess alcohol stove!! i do remember the blocks of ice we used in the ice box. when did the problems start w/ the ply wood?
when i signed the papers for the tri cabin i was trying to find where the old broadwater plant was in mayo and i think i found it. what ever happened to doug?

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:51 pm

I got all of ya beat! First boat 1979 tyco wooden sailboat 19 inches, sank her in the bath tub, 2nd 1984 36 inch battleship all plastic, pushed it off shore on a lake and it never came back. 1993 a sweet R/c electric ski boat 32 inches, hit a pedal boater on the same lake about 12 mph and she sank right there so I gave up until 2007, grown man that hated fishing and swore would never own a boat, I'm to hyper and just had no patients growing up. In 2007 sitting on the beach with my new wife and our 3 daughters from other relations, I said I wanted a jet ski, she says well we can afford 2. Hmmmmm. Well just so happen for the rest of the day we watched a family of 8 argue over who was gonna ride next, so scratch that idea. Ironically the next day I went to a guys house that I owed $ to for help on a car, he had a 2004 19ft bayliner out front, looked brand new. Ahh cool, he starts boohooing about bankruptcy, pay off was 2900$. I turned around and Amanda was writing him a check, wtf... Well I took the kids fishing one time and it was pure love... I have fished that little ski boat 5 days a week since, became a huge striped bass fisher around the islands, then I learned short off shore fishing for cows, unsafe I still tried, but couldn't make it to many times, needed something bigger. Well here I am, I don't have 20 grand in the bank but I can come up with it slowly for the Rubber Guppy, my first real boat to me, 1974 Trojan F-25. love her dirty arse already...

rbcool · Post by **rbcool** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:01 pm

Thanks Paul. I do feel lucky and sometimes a little like I took advantage of a widow (kinda)

, but justify it by realizing she had no use for her
Ben....I know exactly what you mean....I've thanked God many times for my wife being there with me in FL. If she hadn't been I might still be in jail

Ron

MadBen · Post by **MadBen** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:07 pm

[quote="jefflaw35"]I got all of ya beat! First boat 1979 tyco wooden sailboat 19 inches, sank her in the bath tub, 2nd 1984 36 inch battleship all plastic, pushed it off shore on a lake and it never came back. 1993 a sweet R/c electric ski boat 32 inches, hit a pedal boater on the same lake about 12 mph and she sank right there so I gave up until 2007, grown man that hated fishing and swore would never own a boat, I'm to hyper and just had no patients growing up. In 2007 sitting on the beach with my new wife and our 3 daughters from other relations, I said I wanted a jet ski, she says well we can afford 2. Hmmmmm. Well just so happen for the rest of the day we watched a family of 8 argue over who was gonna ride next, so scratch that idea. Ironically the next day I went to a guys house that I owed $ to for help on a car, he had a 2004 19ft bayliner out front, looked brand new. Ahh cool, he starts boohooing about bankruptcy, pay off was 2900$. I turned around and Amanda was writing him a check, wtf... Well I took the kids fishing one time and it was pure love... I have fished that little ski boat 5 days a week since, became a huge striped bass fisher around the islands, then I learned short off shore fishing for cows, unsafe I still tried, but couldn't make it to many times, needed something bigger. Well here I am, I don't have 20 grand in the bank but I can come up with it slowly for the Rubber Guppy, my first real boat to me, 1974 Trojan F-25. love her dirty arse already...[/quote
You are a hoot Jeff. We have a pair of ski doos too and have gotten tired of the share thing!!LOL
My baby is just 10 and can't legally even operate the damn thing by hisself but it doesn't stop the infighting...plus they burn more gas than a motor yacht. I get on them and yahoo for a Sunday afternoon and can't walk right for the next few days. LOL

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:15 pm

rbcool wrote:Thanks Paul. I do feel lucky and sometimes a little like I took advantage of a widow (kinda) , but justify it by realizing she had no use for her
Ben....I know exactly what you mean....I've thanked God many times for my wife being there with me in FL. If she hadn't been I might still be in jail

Ron

Ron,
I understand how you feel The owner of mine had passed and I bought the boat off his daughter . when she came with her young son to get everything off the Boat ( I had left the name on and painted the bottom ) he look at the boat that he spent time with his grandpa on . He said He was glad I bought the boat it looks good . we need to leave every thing on it . They only took a few poles said the rest was mine . What a kid , as long as I own it he is welcome aboard .

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:16 pm

rbcool wrote:Thanks Paul. I do feel lucky and sometimes a little like I took advantage of a widow (kinda) , but justify it by realizing she had no use for her
Ben....I know exactly what you mean....I've thanked God many times for my wife being there with me in FL. If she hadn't been I might still be in jail

Ron

ron, i understand the 'widow' was really trying to drive things and hold out. like, 'you can't take the boat out unless you have the name polished off immediately' etc.....the neighbors,from what i understand, were not much better. i'd love to know the story about it. btw... did you ever figure out what was up with the genset? i'm still confused on that one since everything looked so amazing when i looked her over.
aaron